I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.
- KJV I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
- BSB But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.
- NASB “But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
- NLT Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God will leave a humble and lowly people who take refuge in His name. It matters because it shows that the surviving remnant is marked by humility and trust, not pride.
Overview
The 'afflicted and poor' echo the humble whom Zephaniah earlier urged to seek the Lord. Their defining trait is taking refuge in Yahweh rather than in wealth or power. This anticipates Jesus' blessing on the poor in spirit and the meek who inherit the kingdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 14:32What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.
- Nah 1:7Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.
- Isa 61:1–3The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;
- Zech 13:8–9It shall happen that in all the land,” says Yahweh, “two parts in it will be cut off and die; but the third will be left in it.
- Isa 50:10Who among you fears Yahweh, and obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness, and has no light, let him trust in Yahweh’s name, and rely on his God.
- Matt 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Jas 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
- 1 Cor 1:27–28but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;
- Zech 11:11It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Yahweh’s word.
- Eph 1:12–13to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:
- Ps 37:40Yahweh helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him.
- Matt 11:5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
- Matt 12:21In his name, the nations will hope.”
- Rom 15:12Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”
- 1 Pet 1:21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The day of the LORD gives way to the promise that God himself will be in the midst of his people, rejoicing over them with singing — fulfilled in the saving presence of Christ.
How Zephaniah 3:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.